Samuel fbancis kniss



IINiinn STATES trice.

arent GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.'369,644, dated September 6, 1887 Application filed April 25, 1887. Serial No. 236,016. (Model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, SAMUEL FRANors KNIss, of Varsaw, in the county of Koseiusko and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be afnll, clear, and eXact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in gates; and it consists in, first, the combination of theftwo gate-posts and the gate with that portion of the hinge which is loosely connected both to one of the posts and to the gate and the sliding pronged latch, which is connected to the gate and catches over this part of the hinge, and second, the combination of the two gate-posts, the gate, and that portion of the hinge which is loosely connected to one of the posts and to the gate, the sliding forked latch placed upon the gate and which catches over thisv portion of the hinge, a supporting-rod which is connected to the hinge, the pivoted lever which extends to the side of the gate, a perforated cleat which extends up the side of the gate, and a supporting-pin for the lever, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a sliding latch which engages with the part of the hinge upon which the gate turns for the purpose of locking the gate in position, and to provide an easy means of raising and supporting the gate above the ground, so that small animalscan pass under it.

Figure l is a side elevation of a gate embodying my invention, showing the gate in one position in solid lines and in a raised position in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the gate, showing it closed in solid lines and open in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the latch and the hinge, showing them indifferent positions.

A represents the post upon which the gate is hung, B the post against which the gate closes, and C the gate. The post B is here shown as provided with a groove, D, in its y inneredge, in which the end of the gate catches when it is closed. The gate C may be either of the construction here shown or any other that may be preferred, and is provided with the perforated cleats E, which extend up opposite sides near its outer free end.

The partF of the hinge, upon which the gate is hung, consists of a single rod of suitable strength, which is so shaped as to form a parallelogram, and which extends any suitable distance above the top of the gate and the post A. Upon this part of the hinge is formed a shoulder or enlargement, G, which catches over that part of the top hinge which is secured to the post A, and thus prevents that part of the hinge F from descending below a certain point. This partF of the hinge passes through suitable guiding-loops, II, 'which are secured to the inner edge of the gate, and which loops serve to attach the gate to the part F of the hinge and to act as guides to the gate as it is moved up and down upon the part F. This part F, turning freely upon the post A and turning freely in the guiding-loops H upon the gate, a double joint is formed, and hence the gate has both a turning movement upon the part F and the part F turns upon the post A and gives the gate an endwise movenient, so as to allow the free front edge of the gate to be inserted in and moved back from the groove D in the post B.

When the gate is being opened or closed, the part F of the hinge first turns upon the post A and draws the gate backward from the post B, so as to free its edge, and then the gate turns freely upon the part F. In closing the gate it is lirst swung around upon the part F of the hinge, and then itis moved endwise into the groove D, thus bringing the part F both in aline with the gate C and the post A.

As the part F has aturning movementupon the post A, and as the gate C has an independent movement upon the part F, the hinge allows the gate too much movement to be held in any desired position without the assistance of the endwise-moving forked latch I, which is placed upon the top of the gate. This latch Iconsists of a rod which is forked at its rear end, so as to catch over opposite sides of the part F of the hinge, and which slides freely back and forth through the guide J, placed upon the top of the gate, and through suitable openings made in the top ofthe inner post or upright, L, of the gateitself. When thelatch IOC is drawn outward, so that it catches over only one side of the lpart F of the hinge, it vproduces no effect upon the gate in the way of locking it rigidly to the part F, and hence the gate can be freely swung in any desired direction. When, however, this latch is forced inward, so that its forked end catches over both sides of the part F of the hinge, the gate is locked ina line with the part F, and then it has no other movement than is allowed it by the part F. When the gateis closed, this sliding latch I locks the post A, the part F of the hinge, and the gate C inaline with each other, and the gate cannot be opened until the latch is moved so asvto release the part F, because it is held at its outer edge by the groove D in the post B, and thus the part F is prevented from turning upon the post A. The latch I serves to lock the part F and gate C in a line with each other, so that the gate has no independent movement upon the part F, and hence can only move as the part F turns upon the post A.

Formed upon the upper portion of the part Fof the hinge is a collar or enlargement, O, and upon this enlargement is hung the rod P, which turns freely with the gate, and which is connected at its lower endv to the lever Q,

which is pivoted upon the gate at R. The

outer end of this lever Q forms a handle, by means of which the gate can be raised upward upon the part. F of the hinge, so as to allow small animals to pass under it and pass freely back and forth from one field to another.

The gate is held at any desired elevation by having a pin, S, pass through the perforated vertical strips E at any suitable point under the free end of the lever Q. When this pin is Withdrawn from under the lever, the gate sinks down from its own gravity.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination of the posts B A and gate C with the part F ofthe hinge and the sliding forked latch, substantially as shown.

2. The combination of the posts A B, the part F of the hinge, the gate G, the sliding forked latch I, the rod I?, suspended upon the part F, the lever Q, a supporting-pin, and the perforatedeleats E, attached to the gate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL FRANCIS KNISS.

Vitnesses:

J oHN BLUBAUGH, ABE BRUBAKER. 

